To begin let's pat ourselves on the back. Yes we all know that 'Why so Blue' etc..., is a great songbut Paul has to release what would be most likely bought by the commercial populace therefore it has to be catchy and 'commercial.' The best songs are not what is usually what make the best singles. Sad but true. Look what happened to ''From a Lover to a Friend'. Whoops Ringo!!!

We however know his catalogue and know of the many hidden gems and fortnuately appreciate their greatness. The Japanese are so lucky!!!

However having said this I have loved many of his singles including 'my 'Brave Face', 'Fine Line' and yes I happen to really like 'New' (even with the aged vocals strectching it a bit). Just to add my recurring line too,... My Valentine is an absolute classic. Why can't others see that?

For his age I think the new single is well constructed, infectious, has a lovely coda and is performed vocally as best as any over 70 year artist could probably achieve.

hey J..you, i and alot of others did, in fact, see MV as a great...possibly even classic song...but the music industry is in quite a state of upheavel for some time now...and achieving what once was a huge hit is even harder than ever, methinks...

and, contrary to the honorable and esteemd james...i'm not so sure that the internet, in all its forms, will solve that one... especially for more...ahem....experienced artists like paul, all that much

too early to tell...but in my neck of the woods...'dance tonight' got a larger notice amongst the plebes than this one has so far...so far

and for me, at least, it was a far more catchy tune...

i do agree with you on the New single...i just don't see it, as many have proclaimed, as a classic...it's good...that's about it...

don't sell the public short...they will take to really good songs that are not infectious pop if those songs get the proper treatment...by the record companies, the music providers (be they radio or otherwise) and by the artists themselves

My Valentine is to me one of the most fulfilled Maccacomposition over the last 15 years. In a different aged it would have been a standard and covered by a lot of people, jazz musicians as well . It s such an amazing song and such a wonderful melody.Fine Line is a great song within the context of the album but to my ears not much of a singleDance Tonight have a singalong quality that I really like. I wouldn t be surprised if that song will turn out to be a keeper.Ever Present past-to my ears a great pop single and before NEW maybe his best since My brave FaceLonely Road-good song, good singing - bad singleFrom a lover to a friend - Frankly boring even though there is some nice baselines.Word Tonight - great song great singleHope of deliverance-great song-great singleMy brave Face- GREAT SINGLE, popheaven for me. Sort of geniusNEW-I find this one to be his best SINGLE since My brave Face- not to mix up with best song. My main reason is the melody that really is new but still instant recognizable

Last edited by mhnso on Tue Sep 17, 2013 9:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

when i first heard 'from a lover to a friend'...i thought that something had gone terribly wrong...i thought that poor, dear, sweet ol' maccy had finally gone wacky and that he lost it all...everything...in one, fell swoop !!

the first few times i cringed through the danged thing...i thought 'if there ever was a song where he'd...imbibed too much...something...it's this one !'

but...slowly...as time went by... i saw the craft at work unfold in it's own measure...i let the song work it's own magic...

nowadays, i quite like that one...i think it's a rather daring choice for a single...much more daring than 'new'...which is...safe...

it is songs as complex and interesting as FALTAF that make me keep listening to songs like 'new'...until i find my way in...

mr h atom wrote:the first few times i cringed through the danged thing...

Mr H, your opinion of FALTAF is very similar to my opinion of House Of Wax. Hated it first few times I heard it, thought it was awful! Then slowly I started to understand it until it ended up as one of my favourite songs on the album (and up against some pretty stiff competition!)

I love Mr Bellamy, it's a very clever song. To me it's Paul's equivalent of Peter & The Wolf, with different characters each having their own theme that is represented musically each time they appear in the song. Very clever.

I consider myself an optimistic dude. but on this topic...a 71 year old man will not have a number one song. music is for the young. they buy more of it. it is marketed toward them. and it is recorded for them. they decide what is big and what is not.

but what paul can do...is have integrity. he can record the music that comes from his heart. it'll feature a great melody with infectious hooks...a nice bouncy bass line. he's going to do what he does. and it'll be discussed by us, and listened to by us, and even loved by us. if the rest of the music loving world doesn't take notice...their loss...not ours.

I want to tell her that I love her a lot, but I got to get a belly full of wine.